Unlike in the past, serving the same generic menu at an event no longer works. People today want more choices and exercise in their food preferences.

A successful event now requires fulfilling the divergent dietary needs of guests, and anything less is setting up for failure. Accommodate the various nutritional restrictions, including nut allergy, vegan and gluten-free, and make it enjoyable for every attendee.

So how do you create an accommodating menu at your event?

Communicate

At the core of an accommodating menu is communication. You must know the various diet restrictions of your crowd of attendees, and you gain this insight through communication.

Gather information on dietary needs by reaching out to guests, and then communicate it clearly to the catering department of the event space you’re using.

Providing the appropriate menu options to accommodate the various dietary needs is a vital step to enhancing your guests’ dining experience. In other words, the event is more enjoyable with a well-rounded menu.

Be Mindful of Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination is highly possible when dealing with dietary restrictions. Sometimes the caterer may use the same cutlery or utensils, which may cause allergy issues you were trying to avoid. Cross-contamination can also occur when preparing food.

So, what do you do to avoid cross-contamination?

Use separate utensils, kitchen equipment, and ingredients. The preparation areas should also be different to avoid exposure to allergens. Also, clearly label the dishes so your guests can identify which food is safe.

At Villa Ragusa, we allow outside catering to accommodate different dietary restrictions and preferences. Our food is of the best quality and prepared by expert chefs. You’re free to blend the use of your outside caterer and our food and drinks menu. A larger variety of food and beverages means better choices and an improved dining experience. Check out our guidelines for outside catering.